Wrench



(No Model.)

J. G. HOFFMAN.

WRENCH.

N0. 391,532. Patented 001'.. 23, 1888..

a BY

INVBNTOR:

JIM/m@ ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES CP EfrENfr EEicE.

JOSEPH G. HOFFMAN, OF SIE. GENEVIEVE, MISSOURI.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,532, dated October 23, 18H8.

Application filed February `8, 1888. Serial No. 263,342. (No model.)

To all whom, it 77mg concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH G. HOFFMAN, of Ste. Genevieve, in the county of Ste. Genevieve and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Socket-Wrench, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

My invention relates to a socket-wrench, and has for its object to provide a simple, in-

expensive, and durable tool of this character,

the jaws of which will safely withstand torsional strains and may be readily locked to fit nuts or other articles of any given size, and may be made self-adjusting to fit nuts or articles of various sizes within the capacity of the tool when it is pressed outward or forward by the operator.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts of the socket-wrench, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved socket-wrench with the jaws locked at one adjustment. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof taken on the line w w, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tool as set for selfadjustment of the jaws. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section thereof taken on the line x x, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional side view of the outer parts of the tool. Fig. 6 is an outer end view of the wrench. Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line y y, Fig. 1, and Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on the line z z, Fig. 3.

The barrel or jaw-case A of the tool tapers gradually from its outer end toward its inner end,a, which is formed to fit the socket of any' ordinary bit-brace or a transverselyranging handle, either of which may be conveniently used in operating the tool. At its outer end the barrel A is provided with a longitudinal chamber or socket, B, at the base of which is placed a spiral spring, C, which normally forces the jaws D E of the tool forward in the socket,into which they are closely fitted. The jaws D E are halved together at their rear parts,like a pair of ordinary pinchers or pliers,

and are each fulcrumed on the same pivotpin, F, which is passed into them through a longitudinally-ranging slot, G, made in one side wall of the barrel. The outer ends of the jaws are provided with rightangular or -shaped notches d c, adapted tograsp diagonally-opposite. corners of a `bolt-nut or other object for tightening or turning it. The slot G is long enough to allow the wrench-jaws to move together backward or forward in the barrel, and the shape of the outerparts of the straining of the jaws, as above described. A.

screw or pin, H,'which is fitted to the barrel A near its outer end and crosses the socket B between the jaws D E, causes the jaws to open as they are projected by the spring C,and also holds the jaws in the barrel. This screw or pin H also serves as a pivot-pin to an elastic latch-plate, I, which is held by the screw to one side of the barrel A and over its slot G, through which the jaw-pivot F projects. The reduced outer end, f, of the jaw pivot is adapted to enter a slot, J, made in the latchplate, and is adapted to enter also any one of a series of holes, K, made in said plate at one side of its slot J. The back end of the latchplate is preferably upturned at t' to facilitate springing it outward to engage either its slot .I or one of its holes K with the jaw-pivot.

The operation of the wrench is very simple and effective, and is asfollows: When certain fixed positionsof the jaws D E are required to cause them to fit a series of nuts of any one size, it is only necessary to set the jaws to the desired size and lock them so by engaging the pivot-pin endf with one of the latclrholes K, which will prevent endwise motion of the j aws, and consequently hold them in relativelyfixedpositions at their outer socketed ends to t the required size of nuts on which the IOO :the latch I will be adjusted so that the endj' of the jaw pivot F is in the latch-slot J, as will be understood from Figs. 3,4, and 8 of the drawings. It will thus appear that the wrench may be almost instantly adjusted to iit any number of successive nuts or objects of any given size, or so as to adjust itself to t nuts or objects of different sizes within the capacity of the tool.

It is obvious that the screw or pin H not only causes opening of the jaws as they are projected by the spring and holds the jaws in the barrel, but said screw or pin serves also as a fastening for the latch device I, and this latch, by the engagement of its slot J or one of its holes K with the reduced eudf of the jawpivot F, will by action on the pivot-shoulder at the base of its end f securely hold the pivot against endwise displacement, thus allowing it to be simply slipped through the barrel-slot G and into the jaws D E, where it will be held withoutriveting or other fastening, all of which promotes the economical manufacture and maximum utility of the wrench.

Having thus described my invention,\vl1a t I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a wrench, of a case or barrel having a longitudinal socket and a side slot, gripping-jaws fitted in the socket, a pin passed through the side `slot and into the jaws to pivot the jaws together, a screw or pin crossing the barrel between the jaws and in front of the j aw-pivot, and a latch device held to the barrel and provided with one or more holes to which the jaw-pivot is adapted, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, in a wrench, of a case or barrel having a longitudinal socket and a side slot, gripping-jaws tted in the socket, a pin passed through the side slot and into the jaws to pivot them together, a screw or pin crossing the barrel between the jaws and in front of the jaw-pivot, and a latch device held to the barrel and provided with a series of holes, and a slot adapted, respectively, to engage and receive the jaw-pivot, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

3.' The combination, in a wrench, of a barrel, A, soeketed at B and having a side slot, G, a spring, C, in said socket, jaws D E, pivoted together in said socket on a pin, F, passed through the slot G and havinga reduced end, f, a screw or pin, H, fitted to the barrel A and across its socket B between the jaws D E, and a latch device, I, held to the barrel by the screw or pin H and having a slot, J, and a 'se ries of holes` K, adapted to engage the jawpivot Ff, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

JOSEPH G. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

FELIX SUOI-IER, EMILE C. LELIE. 

